Number of complaints against doctors doubles

The number of complaints being made about doctors in the UK has increased significantly over the past five years, according to data from the General Medical Council (GMC).

It logged just under 4,000 complaints in 2007, but this had risen to more than 8,100 in 2012.

GPs were the professionals most likely to have grievances raised against them, while male doctors were twice as likely to attract a complaint than their female counterparts.

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GMC chairman Professor Sir Peter Rubin insisted that the figures represent only a small proportion of the care that is given every day in Britain and, on the whole, the standard for patients is very good.

'What our report shows is that some patients don't know where to go to raise a concern about their treatment and more needs to be done to help them raise issues,' he added.

In September last year, a study found the most common complaints against GPs were those regarding treatment plans and investigation skills.

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